Live Fish Necklace - worth USD 61000 Design by Laksh PahujaThe fashion world is a mad, often bizarre place, where in the name of creativity almost anything is acceptable. But how about a necklace that houses within its acrylic heart a shoal of live fighter fish that swim merrily around while you flaunt this mini aquarium at your next cocktail soirée?
Yes, topping the list of eccentric, yet supremely imaginative creations is a one-of-a-kind necklace by jewellery designer Laksh Pahuja that is made from 18K gold, diamonds, rubies, Tahiti pearls and acrylic.
“I have always wanted to do something different and a necklace that had live fish was something my ever-fertile imagination came up with one fine day,” says Laksh, who’s rather kooky necklace costs a not-so-kooky Rs 25 lakh... oh, and that includes the cost of the fish!
No wonder then that Laksh has made just one piece and has no plans to make any more.
“There is no way I can make another one. It was too much effort. In fact, I want to enter this piece in the Guinness Book of World Records,” says an optimistic Laksh. Taking four years to conceptualise and three to craft, the inspiration to make this oddity came to Laksh when he was on a deep sea diving trip at Lakshadweep Islands.
“It was there that I got the idea of putting rubies and diamonds — not just on the sides of the necklace, but also within the acrylic cavity to mimic the sand and coral. In fact, the lower part of the necklace is in the shape of the southern tip of India,” elaborates Laksh.
But before we have any animal... err, we mean fish rights activists up in arms, Laksh is quick to point out that “No fish were harmed during the making of the necklace”.
But how does he ensure the well-being of the ‘live jewellery’ once the necklace is worn? “I did research on the type of fish that would be able to brave the wear and tear,” explains Laksh.
“So I decided to use fighter fish that can safely swim in the necklace for 48 hours without oxygen. But still as a backup plan I have put in two air vents into the sides of the necklace. Once you are done wearing the necklace the fish can be released from the back compartment of the necklace into a normal aquarium.”
Now that’s what we call indulging in some pretty fishy business! What say?
